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Governor Bill Richardson Announces $8.1 Million in Stimulus Funds for Counties, Cities and Towns

SANTA FE - Governor Bill Richardson today announced more than $8.1 million in federal stimulus funds to improve energy efficiency in counties, cities and towns across New Mexico. A total of 21 energy projects across the state have been chosen to receive the money.

“With the help of stimulus money, counties, cities and towns across the state will be able to move forward with energy saving projects like installing solar power, energy efficient lighting and other equipment to make public buildings more energy efficient,” Governor Richardson said. “These projects will conserve a significant amount of energy and will save taxpayer dollars.”

The projects are funded through the new Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program, which is managed by the U.S. Department of Energy. The program is administered by the New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department's Energy Conservation and Management Division.

''These projects will help retain and create jobs and improve the economy around the state," said Joanna Prukop, Secretary of the Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department. “With energy efficiency as the main objective of this new program, we anticipate reports of significant energy and cost savings from these projects for local governments around the state."

The Energy Conservation and Management Division used a competitive process to select projects based on Recovery Act goals to create and retain jobs; save energy; reduce emissions of greenhouse gases; and increase renewable energy production.

A complete list of approved projects is below:

City of Lordsburg
Increase energy efficiency of civic center
$186,834

Los Alamos County
Solar thermal project
$103,000

City of Tucumcari
City hall efficient lighting
$52,000

City of Espanola
Geothermal heating system
$451,680

City of Santa Fe
Upgrade efficiency of seven city buildings
$500,000

Town of Taos
Solar electric on Town Hall, audit town-owned buildings
$490,490

Bernalillo County
Audit and upgrade efficiency of county buildings
$500,000

City of Clovis
Civic center 55-kW solar system
$500,000

Village of Grady
50-kW wind turbine and senior center PV installation
$431,908

City of Las Cruces
Convention center green grid, with solar electric and small wind turbine
$495,330

Hidalgo County
Audit and upgrade efficiency of county buildings, residential and commercial housing outreach, and recycling program
$424,422

Quay County
County courthouse energy efficiency measures
$347,320

Union County
County courthouse energy efficiency measures
$500,000

Mora County
County courthouse energy efficiency measures
$500,000

Town of Clayton
Audit and upgrade efficiency of town and school buildings; green workforce training
$434,600

City of Bloomfield
Sidewalks and bike paths, energy efficiency upgrades
$397,000

Santa Fe County
County facilities energy audit, GIS for efficient routing of County vehicles, and countywide LED street light replacements
$475,520

Town of Silver City
Office of Sustainability for Silver City and Grant County
$341,298

Town of Edgewood
Two 50-kW wind turbines for municipal electricity
$430,000

City of Deming
Solar-charged LED street lights
$50,000

Environment Department: Solid Waste Bureau
New recycling programs in underserved rural areas
$497,784

Total
$8,109,186

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Caitlin Kelleher
Media Coordinator for Governor Richardson
Office of the Governor
State Capitol, Suite 400
Santa Fe, NM
office 505.476.2299| cell 505.795.2480